It's Game Over for iPhone, If iOS 7...

What ever they do with the flatness in design in iOS 7.. it wouldn't matter, EXCEPT it's Game Over if they decide to remove the ICON / DOCK GLOSS on homescreen. It's what gives a distinctive premium feeling to iPhone over rest of the phones.

The only reason millions choose iPhones over Windows Phones and other phones is because it looks nice and premium when they first look at the homescreen. The rich icon gloss and dock gloss effects are really inviting the user to interact with the device. I love swiping through home screens multiple times a day.. icons are so nice to look and it just that great looking..

What ever they decide to do with iOS 7.. if they ever decide to let go of the ICON GLOSS on homescreen.. iPhone will become the next Windows Phone.. a third tier phone.

I'm an avid Linux user, but even I think iOS is an excellent operating system. It's designed to work without much, if any errors. I've been using the iPhone for almost 4 years now and never once had a major issue. I can't say the same with android phones though.

I love the assumption being made by the OP that the new look will, obviously, be bad and needs to be hidden.

And in his mind it'll be ok as long as they don't do it in this one critical area.

But hey. Maybe (just maybe) Apple is planning a new look that isn't terrible and won't be a bad thing that has to be hidden in un-important areas of the phone. Maybe...again, I know this is crazy...but maybe they've designed something that they think looks good instead of bad.

It's just change for the sake of change, I say. Which isn't a bad thing in and of itself as long as the core experience is improved instead of dumbed down (I'm looking at YOU, Windows 8). But I don't use Apple Devices based on how pretty the UI is, I use them because they are fun and intuitive to work with.

I can't help but feel the OP is a joke. Ooh, it's not shiny anymore, everyone's gonna migrate to Android and Windows Phones! If Apple releases a budget iPhone as speculation suggests, then it will pull in even more users to the Apple ecosystem. We're already seeing this with the iPad Mini being so cheap.

What ever they do with the flatness in design in iOS 7.. it wouldn't matter, EXCEPT it's Game Over if they decide to remove the ICON / DOCK GLOSS on homescreen. It's what gives a distinctive premium feeling to iPhone over rest of the phones.

The only reason millions choose iPhones over Windows Phones and other phones is because it looks nice and premium when they first look at the homescreen. The rich icon gloss and dock gloss effects are really inviting the user to interact with the device. I love swiping through home screens multiple times a day.. icons are so nice to look and it just that great looking..

What ever they decide to do with iOS 7.. if they ever decide to let go of the ICON GLOSS on homescreen.. iPhone will become the next Windows Phone.. a third tier phone.

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He's right.

iOS has a beautiful, premium look and feel to it which you don't get on other mobile OS. It's important that Apple stay unique and don't turn themselves into just another company.

It's times like this that you really miss Steve Jobs because he would know exactly what to do right now. I feel like the current Apple staff are just guessing and hoping it works out.

The look is so less important than function. I really don't care what an ICON looks like I care what the application behind it does and that it functions.

I find it unbelievable how much time and threads are spent on look of screen and icons and Apple is dead, etc. Apple has the best collection of applications, the best method of managing your apps, music, pictures, etc. Look what is happening with Microsoft who went for looks with Windows 8 and not ease of use and required functions.

I know I shouldn't read these threads but Apple isn't so over if most of the people on this board don't agree with any changes. There are actually people who use an iPhone as a phone and not to manage all their life events and also be the nicest looking icons and active screens.

Most people just adapt to the OS they're confronted with. Unless Apple were to really hose the OS in one giant change, people will keep using iOS. There will always be gripes from one side and praise from the other, but as long as they maintain the right balance of happy/not happy customers, sales will continue. Microsoft is learning the hard lesson about completely revamping something into a worse design and I doubt Apple would follow in their footsteps in that regard.

I agree that the current iOS gloss & textures are sexy and give it a premium feel to all other mobile OS's.

But I'll bank on what Ive, and his proven track record, puts out for iOS 7 will be great...even if it is flat. I don't give Ive a blank check, as anyone can slip up; but I'll wager that iOS 7 will make the industry jealous once again!

This thread is hilarious... Everyone complaining about losing Apple's "premium feel" doesn't understand who is now in charge of software design. This guy is renowned for his work in PREMIUM feel in design. You are all going to be praising the new look when you see it.

I agree that the current iOS gloss & textures are sexy and give it a premium feel to all other mobile OS's.

But I'll bank on what Ive, and his proven track record, puts out for iOS 7 will be great...even if it is flat. I don't give Ive a blank check, as anyone can slip up; but I'll wager that iOS 7 will make the industry jealous once again!

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What makes gloss and textures premium? I'm sorry but these apps do not have a premium feel to them. They're just plain ugly.

Actually, the contacts app is one of the worst. One thing is that the apps look damn ugly, the other thing is that they aren't CONSISTENT!

For example, Contacts.app looks like iBooks, but you cannot turn the pages like i iBooks. This inconsistency makes it really difficult to use for novice users. Furthermore, they use the book design in Contacts, but they have "non-book" elements (such as a clickable list, and then suddenly the content on the right page changes).

I'm really looking forward to seeing iOS 7 if there comes UI changes. iOS is beginning to feel old. Not the revolutionary platform it was back then.

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